THB in Bulgaria: gaps, challenges, good practices and recommendations

• In Event: ERADICATING: social, financial and security impacts of trafficking in human beings

Abstract

Situated at the vital crossroads between Europe and Asia, Bulgaria is acknowledged as a significant hub for both the transit and source of victims of human trafficking. This complex problem predominantly manifests in the forms of sexual and increasingly labour exploitation, causing significant harm to a diverse range of individuals, including both adults and children. With the advent of Russia’s latest aggression on Ukraine, Bulgaria saw hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, mostly women and children, entering the country as refugees and asylum seekers. Currently, about 70,000 Ukrainians are based in Bulgaria, a highly vulnerable group at risk from human trafficking for labour and other forms of exploitation. The ERADICATING II Project launched in December 2023, with the aim of building upon the achievements of its previous edition and specifically targeting labour trafficking. The collaboration comprises a consortium of LEAs and civil society organisations from six countries, one of which is Bulgaria. ERADICATING II seeks to enhance the capabilities of law enforcement, labour inspectors, and first-line practitioners in combating labour trafficking. An outstanding feature of this project is its focus on the Ukrainian crisis and the risks encountered by Ukrainian refugees. The project places emphasis on cross-border collaboration, victim-focused strategies, and reducing the occurrence of repeated victimisation. This presentation will outline the findings of the needs assessment phase of ERADICATING II in Bulgaria but also in the other partner countries, focusing on gaps, challenges, good practices and recommendations, especially vis-à-vis Ukrainians as vulnerable group.

Author

• Atanas Rusev, Center for the Study of Democracy